


Words to Live By

by Kakushigo



Series: And Family Makes Four [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: And everyone loves Tony & Rhodey, Everything is consensual, I think that's about it..., M/M, Mafia AU, Multi, People just like to share partners, Shifter AU, Soulwords AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-14 18:16:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9197642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kakushigo/pseuds/Kakushigo
Summary: Tony Stark runs the Carbonell Crew out of New York City.  He's happily married to James Rhodes, despite the fact they aren't soulmates.  Then Rhodey meets his soulmate, someone is out to kill Tony, and Steve has a super hot best friend who is missing an arm. Yeah, Tony loves his life.  Seriously.  It's like all his acquaintances walked out of a GQ magazine.





	1. Words Written on the Soul

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MissRomanceJunkie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissRomanceJunkie/gifts).



> I sort of combined three prompts to get this? I'm very sorry. It was very interesting to write and this is actually the second draft because the first draft was mostly Steve/Rhodey and realized...that was probably not what you wanted. XD  
> So here's a Mafia, shifters, soulmates WinterIron shenanigan. Or: How Bucky and Tony finally talked to each other.

It is said that the words that grace one arm of each individual are gifts from God.  Tony isn’t sure he buys into that way of thinking.  After all, his parents had each other’s words and look where they ended up- wrapped around a tree and then six feet under.  Tony has words- just like 99.9% of the population.  He was able to read them when he was three.  They certainly weren’t mundane words.  _We survived.  Isn’t that the important part?_

The words didn’t transfer when he shifted, he’d checked.  Tony the lynx was word free (Rhodey confirmed this, the first time Tony shifted for him).  Not unusual for shifters, or so Tony assumed.  Rhodey’s wolf form didn’t have his words either.  Probably a good thing, as Rhodey’s words were…distinctive.  ( _Only if you let Bucky join the Carbonell Crew as well._ )  The Carbonell mob ruled New York with an iron fist, the words would’ve spelled Rhodey’s death if anyone knew what they meant.  Thankfully, Rhodey had been born in Philadelphia- far from the Carbonell influence. 

But then Rhodey ended up at MIT, rooming with the heir to the Carbonell syndicate (though Tony had hardly known that at the time).  Tony inherits his mother’s gang when he’s 18, a few hours after his parents have been interred.  His butler, Jarvis, is the one to inform him of the extra duties, on top of managing the Stark Industries.

Rhodey is indispensable immediately.  Partly because he gutted the former lieutenant and left his body for the rats.  Obidiah had been leaking funds from SI and Carbonell since Howard had given him power, Tony wasn’t sad to see him go. 

Soon, Rhodey was partly known as the leader of the Carbonell gang.  Tony was amused at how that worked out.  Barely 21 and instead of joining up in the Air Force he was running the most efficient and most terrifying gang that New York had ever seen.  He’d have been wasted in the Air Force, Tony was glad Rhodey was on his side. 

While Rhodey used his brain to make sure the Carbonell’s didn’t loose a square foot of land but rather gained the whole city and started expanding beyond, Tony mostly focused on Stark Industries.  Both of them were workaholics, trying to manipulate events to their benefit.  Including meeting their soulmates.

But by thirty, both had no luck.  So instead they get tattoos.  Rhodey gets, “How much do I have to bribe you to make sure I get left alone?” tattooed on the inside of his left wrist.  And Tony gets, “I expected MIT’s prodigy to be taller.  And nothing.  Leave me to my devices and I’ll leave you to yours.” on the same place.  It’s their first words to each other.  They aren’t soulmates, they’re more of best friends but…sex outside a soulmate bond is frowned on.  And they’re compatible.  Seems a waste to not take advantage.

A week after they get married, they’re on the cover of People’s magazine, proudly showing off their wrists.  Tony’s head is tucked against Rhodey’s chest and their arms extend outward, inner wrist up.  Inside, there’s an interview about them.  The questions mostly boil down to why did it take you long to get married?  And both had answered truthfully (as much as they can) that work had kept them busy and they hadn’t felt it was anyone’s business whose soulmates they were.  But now they were late in their thirties, it was time to show the world. 

 

When Bucky was younger, he used to daydream about his soulmate.  Their first words weren’t dramatic or romantic, but simple ( _You’re late._ ).  Bucky traced them every day before he went to bed, until he turned 18.  At 18, he took his GED and joined up in the army.  His best friend, Steve, tried to as well but due to health problems was passed over (and his word were _Huh.  I don’t suppose you’re in the market for a job?_ Which didn’t sound like enlisted man to Bucky).  So Bucky was shipped out, but he made sure to keep in contact.  During downtime, he was back in New York.  It wasn’t often though, he requested as many missions as he could.  And he took the ones that’d get him paid extra (mostly because he wasn’t expected to come back alive, so the Army put just a little bit more aside for Steve).  Eventually, one of those missions went sideways.

Bucky was shipped back home, sans an arm.  It wasn’t his Marked arm, but it didn’t matter.  He was put in mandatory therapy.  Worst then that though, he couldn’t shift.  He’d tried, but…nothing.  Steve was a little distraught that Bucky was home early, but made the most of it.  And Steve kept trying to convince him to get a prosthetic, but Bucky didn’t want to.  Instead, he pinned the sleeve to his shirt up and stared down anyone who looked too long. 

For a while, they lived on savings.  But in New York, those didn’t last long.  It hadn’t been like Bucky had been rolling in dough.  Steve’s health complications meant he couldn’t work often, but weren’t considered bad enough that he could get any disability.  Bucky’s therapy eventually stopped and he slipped though the many cracks of the VA.  And one month, they didn’t have enough to pay the bills.  They went without water or electric.  Their landlord threatened to evict them.  They had to figure something out.

They end up at a money lenders.  And not the legal kind.  Neither of them relish owing money to the mob, but they have to do something.  It ends up not panning out either in a spectacular fashion that reminds Bucky of how he met Steve.  Because Steve ends up taking offense to the money lender’s way of dealing with the elderly woman who’d owed money.  As in the money lender had tried to have her killed and Steve stepped in.  And now it was Bucky and Steve against five thugs who had a couple pounds on Bucky, never mind Steve.  Though at least they didn’t seem to be packing any serious heat.

Either way, Bucky hadn’t seen their prospects looking good.  As Steve and Bucky prepared for a fight, two feral street animals slunk into the building.  Bucky didn’t pay them any attention until Steve almost got knifed in the back by thug #2 and the dog took offense to that.  And ripped the thugs throat out.  The two thugs still conscious went white as a sheet and fled.  Steve offered his hand to the wild dog like an idiot.  Bucky growled at him in the back of his throat.  Seriously, if Steve wasn’t his best friend he’d hit Steve so hard it might knock some sense into him.

Thankfully, the dog didn’t take offense to the hand.  Just sniffed it and pushed past it into the room where the moneylender had been holding court.  Shortly afterward, there was a shrill scream.  That’s when Bucky decided it was time to leave.  He didn’t know what was going on here and he didn’t want to know.

But as he grabbed Steve’s hand to drag him out of the building if he had to, the door opened again.  Bucky and Steve tensed, waiting for something to happen.  What happened was a man breezed out, cat on his shoulder.  And that was the only thing he was wearing.  Bucky averted his gaze, trying not to think about the fact a dog and cat entered and only a cat left.  Because the explanation Bucky’s mind came to was shifter but shifters were also incredibly rare.  It was more likely the dog was dead and the naked man had come from somewhere else.

“Huh.”  The man said, voice sounding amused.  “I don’t suppose you’re in the market for a job?”  Bucky’s eyes widened.  The nudist was Steve’s soulmate?

“Only if you let Bucky join the Carbonell Crew as well.”  Steve replied, voice taunt.  Which, well, Bucky wasn’t sure which part he should focus on first.  The fact Steve had recognized someone from the Carbonell Crew, that Steve had just (possibly) turned down a job offer because it hadn’t been extended to Bucky as well, that the naked guy in the room was Steve’s soulmate.  So many things to think about, so little time.

There’s a sigh, but the man does agree with a short, “Fine.”  Then there’s the sound of claws on linoleum and the dog reappears in Bucky’s line of sight.  Okay, the man is a shifter.  That’s great, that’s _fantastic_.  The cat is curled up on the dog’s back and okay, Bucky realizes classifying it as a dog earlier was wrong.  It’s a wolf and a fucking huge one at that.  Its muzzle is still bloody and nope, Bucky won’t think about that.  It pads past him and nuzzles Steve’s leg before bounding off. 

“Did that just happen?”  Bucky asks.  “Or did I just hallucinate.  Because I’m kind of worried right now.”

“It happened.”  Steve confirmed, sounded a bit light headed as well.  “I can’t believe we met Colonel Rhodes.”

Apparently Bucky had missed a lot more then he’d thought in the army.  “Colonel Rhodes?”

For a second, there’s an odd stillness about Steve, then he nods.  “Yes.  Head of the Carbonell Crew.  He’ll do good by us.  It’ll be hard work, but well rewarded.”

And damn, it sounds like Steve might be familiar with this guy.  Exactly what was going on while Bucky was overseas?


	2. Shifted Hearts are Still True

Apparently Steve was familiar with him.  Super familiar.  As in ‘Colonel Rhodes’ knew where they lived and stopped by in the morning for a cup of coffee.  Sure, Bucky knew it’d never happened before, courtesy of Steve’s words, but still.  Apparently everything Bucky had sent home hadn’t been quite enough, even with penny pinching so Steve had worked a couple lowkey jobs for the Carbonell Crew.  Mostly drug runs.  But he’d been good enough that the guy above him had kept in contact and kept Steve afloat of all the gossip.

Which incidentally led to him recognizing Rhodey.  Because Natasha had mentioned what the top boss had looked like and it’d been kind of hard to miss Rhodey, especially when he went naked.  It was a side effect of shifting, Bucky knew, but even when he could shift he couldn’t remember being all that confident in either skin.  The worst part was that Bucky recognized him now that he had clothes on. 

As James Stark, soulmate to Tony Stark, CEO of Stark Industries.   He’d seen the magazine shoot they’d done together, showing their words for all to see.  Of course there were rumors that the words were fake, but no one had seriously doubted James and Tony weren’t soulmates, they had the same easy relationship a truly in sync set of mates would have.  Just doubted whether they’d show off authentic marks or make-uped over their real ones and applied fake ones. 

James Stark, Colonel Rhodes, whichever name he used.  His words were on Steve’s wrist.  Going by the fact Bucky had woken up to him sitting on the couch of their apartment, sharing tea with Steve, Bucky was going to assume the words were mutual.  He didn’t want to think about what that meant.  Either Steve was part of a threeway bond (did such things happen?) or someone was lying or another person would offer Steve a job. 

Conversation halted completely as Bucky wandered into the kitchen, but that didn’t bother Bucky.  He’d heard them talking earlier, this apartment didn’t have soundproof walls or anything. 

Finally, Rhodey broke the silence.  “If you’d like a job, I do have one for you.”

Bucky pulled a cup out of the cupboard, then carefully lifted the kettle with his one hand.  “What kind of job do you have for a one armed vet?”  Probably more drug runs like Steve.  Bucky wasn’t sure he could handle that.  Not that it would be physically trying, but…Bucky wasn’t all too fond of drugs.  Then again, it’d put food on the table and electricity and heat.  It’d be worth it.

“Security,” Rhodey explained.  “My husband, Tony Stark, needs a temporary protection detail while Happy is out of town.” 

“Ah, yes,”  Bucky muttered crossly, “your husband.  Who is also your soulmate.  How’s that working out?”

“He’s not my soulmate.” Rhodey admitted.  Bucky hadn’t thought it’d be that simple.  “We’re married because it’s convenient and we were lonely.  We do love each other, but we both agreed that if our soulmate came along, we would let the other go to them.  Tony knows about Steve.  We’ll figure out the official story later.”

Someone, Bucky couldn’t imagine it being that simple.  “Just like that?”

Rhodey nodded.  “Yes.  Steve and I will decide how much we want public, then Tony and I will figure out how much we need to do.  For right now, Steve decided I should remain married to Tony at least in word.”  Rhodey and Steve shared a small, private smile, and Bucky wished he’d been able to hear a bit more clearly what they’d been talking about earlier. These two hadn’t know each other very long and they were already scheming. 

“Okay,” Bucky dropped the ‘them’ topic for a while.  “Who or what would I be guarding Mr. Stark from?  For how long?  How much am I getting paid?”  Personal security- he certainly hadn’t thought he’d be getting back into a game anything like this one. 

Rhodey leaned back into their couch, not bothered by the fact it was probably ancient and full of disease, pulling Steve close.  “He gets lots of threats from various people.  So the ‘who or what’ is a bit complicated.  Make sure no one shoots him.  Bombs, should anyone try it, you can let him handle.  He knows his ways around them.  Go through his mail, make sure no one is trying to poison him.  Watch his food.  Shouldn’t be more than a week.  And payment is $4,000.  Plus some hazard payment, if you run across anything particularly virulent.” 

That’s a lot of money.  Especially for one week worth of work.  “What’s the catch?”  There has to be, for that kind of money.

“Oh, Tony has quite the personality.”  Rhodey explained.  “A lot of his temp guards have quit so they don’t accidently kill him.  You have to make it through the week to get paid.” 

For $4,000?  Bucky would survive a week.  “When do I start?”

“Tomorrow.  I’ll have one of his cars pick you up.”  Rhodey said, then his attention went from Bucky to Steve.   Bucky felt rather like he’d been dismissed from the room.  No wonder people called him the Colonel.  Deciding he’d rather not spend the day cooped up with the lovebirds, Bucky drank his tea, struggled into his coat, and made his way to the library. 

The next day, Bucky woke when he normally did.  At a lack for dress code, Bucky threw on the best he had.  It wasn’t that nice, but at least it wasn’t a tank top.  A limo arrived for him at 7 am.  Bucky could feel his neighbors stare as he slipped into the limo and wondered why it had to be the most obvious car sent to collect him.  The whole thing was just begging to find its way to a chop shop.

After a silent ride (the limo apparently drove itself.  Bucky struggled not to find that creepy.  He loved sci-fi as much as the next guy but apparently he wasn’t ready for self-driving limos) the limo pulled up in front of a mansion that Bucky knew well.  The Stark Mansion- build by Howard Stark as a gift for his wife and inherited by Tony Stark after their deaths.

Bucky got out of the limo and approached.  The gate swung open to admit him and then swung closed after him.  The front door did the same, finished off with the click of a lock.  Door continued to open for him, leading him into the mansion.  Eventually, he came to a kitchen with an older gentleman standing at the stove and a younger woman with bright red hair. 

The red haired woman beamed.  “You must be Mr. Barnes.  Rhodey mentioned he found a new bodyguard for Tony.”

Bucky nodded at the person he was pretty sure was Pepper Potts.  The Pepper Potts, the woman in charge of foreign acquisitions and…pretty much everything of Stark Industries.  She was ranked as the #1 most eligible bachelorette and richest woman in the world. 

“Your suit won’t do at all, of course, but Rhodey suspected as much.  Tony’s tailor whipped something up for you.  It might not fit perfectly, but we can fix that later.”  Pepper continued.  Bucky tried not to gawk.  “But you can put that on later.  Tony won’t need a new guard until after lunch.  I have something I need you to do instead.”  Feeling a bit like a bobble head, Bucky nodded again and Pepper gave him a smile before presenting a manila envelope.  “Jarvis, you mind making us both breakfast?”

The older gentleman shook his head, stirring the eggs.  “Of course not.  Please, take a seat, Mr. Barnes.” 

Bucky does, opening the folder as he sits.  He wasn’t sure what he expected, but it’s basically a briefing.  Very military esquire.  Apparently Ms. Potts is also in Carbonell Crew or was at least peripherally aware of it.  Was all of SI involved?  Or perhaps just the higher ups.  He has a target, a group of guys to work with (which he was technically in charge of), a list of weapons he could request to work with. 

“I’ve only got one hand.”  Bucky says, having skimmed the file.  “Why me?  And what makes you think anyone will listen to them.”

Ms. Potts takes a sip of her drink (Bucky assumes some kind of juice, but doesn’t really know), “They have their orders too, Mr. Barnes.  Besides, Rhodey has assured me you’re uniquely qualified, despite the missing arm.  You were a sniper and we need a sniper’s eye on this one.”

That was apparently all he was getting.  It left him feeling slightly uneasy, but he could do this.  Jarvis insists he stays for breakfast, which he does.  Then he’s sent back outside.  There’s a motorbike this time, but it still drives itself.  The crew he’s assigned is competent and they listen to him.  Okay, now he knows he can do this.  Get the info, get his crew out alive, leave a few bodies if he has to.  Just like old times.


	3. Never Late

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky finishes his mission and meets Happy. And then Tony.

Everything did not go okay.  It went FURBAR and real quickly.  Bucky barely managed to extract his crew and the info.  As it was, two of six members fell unconscious on the way back to rendezvous and had to be hospitalized, but they weren’t dead.  That was a success.  Of a sort. Bucky was going to count it as a good thing he hadn’t actually lost anyone.  But his missing arm was aching, reminding him of the action he was missing.  Despite being in the field he hadn't actually been in the field, merely watching it.  Playing man in the high tower and mastermind.  It wasn't quite what he wanted.

He ended up back at the mansion.  Jarvis and Ms. Potts were both still there, though they'd been joined by a portly man in a nondescript black suit.  The bodyguard Bucky assumed he would be replacing.  Ms. Potts had her arm around the presumed bodyguard, talking to him quietly so Bucky hung back.  Jarvis approached instead, telling Bucky where the bathroom was and where the suit he was required to change into would be placed when he left the bathroom.

Cleaned up and in a new suit, Bucky felt rather like a completely new man.  Rather fake as well, wearing a skin that didn't quite suit him.  Jarvis gave him a critical eye over.

"You'll do."  Jarvis concluded.  "Ms. Potts and Mr. Hogan have left for the day.  Mr. Stark is in his study, waiting for you.  He will expect a report of your activities earlier."  

"Where is his study?"  Bucky asked, already nervous.  At least the doors weren't opening for him like they had been earlier that day.  There was automation, then there was creepy.

"Follow me."  And then Jarvis lead him through the mansion.  The doors didn't open for Jarvis and it was obvious the man knew his way around.  Bucky was kind of curious as to his function in the house hold, because it wasn't personal chef like he'd thought earlier.  Or perhaps it was and he went above and beyond his job description.  Finally, they reached the study.  Bucky couldn't have figured out how to exit the house if he wanted to.  "There you go."  Jarvis motioned to the door and melted into the vast hallways.  

Bucky pushed the door open, taking in the well decorated and well lit study.  Tony Stark was instantly recognizable, holding court from behind a large desk.  Two computer monitors and several holograms danced around him, casting him in a faint blue light.  And he didn't bother to look up when Bucky entered.

A pregnant pause grew between them, Bucky not wanting to start off and Tony holding his silence.   Eventually, Bucky's nerves turned to anger.  Tony had been blatantly ignoring him for several moments.  "We survived."  He said shortly, holding his anger in.  Tony look up, suddenly taking Bucky in.  They lock eyes and Bucky feels challenged.  As though that wasn't what he's supposed to say.  "That's the important part, isn't it?"  And yes, he's challenging one of the most dangerous men in the city.  He can't bring himself to care.

Tony grinned suddenly and Bucky didn’t think that was an appropriate response.  Especially considering the fact he'd been ignored for the last couple of moments.  “You’re late.”  Bucky’s eyes widened before looking towards his own right arm.  The cloth band hiding his words was still there, but he knew the words underneath them.

What the hell?  This was his soulmate?  The man Steve's soulmate had married and pretended to be mated too.  “What?”

“You’re late."  Tony repeated, closing down the holograms with a wave of his hand.  "I bet Rhodey that I’d meet my soulmate before he would, but he won so he got the Aston Martin.”

“Your fault.”  It was the only response Bucky could think of.  He was kind of stuck on the 'Tony Stark is my soulmate.'

Tony smiled.  “Just a little bit.  I guess you’re Mr. Barnes, my body guard to be.”

Bucky nods, wondering if this disqualifies him for the position.  But Tony’s smile doesn’t change.  “Fantastic.  First order of business, taking you to my tailor.”

Bucky looks down at the suit that Tony provided him with before.  He didn’t see anything wrong with it.  As though reading his thoughts, Tony started talking.  “It’s okay if you were just my body guard, but you’re my soulmate.  And it’s a bit loose in some places and a bit tight in others.  Good enough because my tailor can only work miracles when he has an actual body to work with.”  He looked Bucky over well enough that Bucky felt like he should be blushing.  “And you, my dear, have quite the body.”  Tony stood from his desk and prowled over to Bucky.  Bucky’s eyes were drawn to the wristwatch on Tony’s wrist.  Rhodey’s words, the fake ones, were covered with a solid gold band with only a fire opal inset on it.  But Bucky’s words were hidden under a watch.  And Bucky was willing to bet no one commented because it was on Tony’s left hand. 

Their eyes caught and Tony slipped his watch off, offering his left hand to Bucky.  He took it gently, staring at the words on Tony’s wrist.  They were definitely his, in all their glory.  In awe, he ran his thumb over the words.  God, was this how Steve felt?  No wonder he hadn’t minded the fact his soulmate appeared naked.  Good thing Bucky let them have the apartment to themselves yesterday.  Though yesterday felt more like it was a lifetime away rather then a couple of hours.

“May I?”  Tony asked, gesturing to Bucky’s own wrist.  He nodded, dropped Tony’s hand to present his own wrist.   Tony took the watch he’d been wearing and buckled it around the words.  Then he smoothed over what Bucky assumed was pure gold with a thumb.  “There we go.  Do you have anywhere to be today?”

“No, I’m all yours.  Rhodes implied I’d be staying with your 24/7.”  Bucky answered, earlier anger mostly gone.

Tony offered him a grin.  “We’re going to have so much fun, James.”

“Bucky, please."  No way was his soulmate going to call him James.  His mother was the last and only one to call him that.   "Call me Bucky.”

“Bucky it is then.  I’m Tony."  Bucky rolled his eyes at that because he knew who Tony was.  "But you can use whatever nicknames you want.”

He'd have to think of some suitably embarrassing nicknames then.  “I’ll keep that in mind.”  

"Originally," Tony admits, "the plan was to get some work done.  But you're a lovely wrench in the works.  Though we'll have to go a few places, but I've mastered mixing pleasure and business.  And you're quite the pleasure."  Bucky is pretty sure he can't stop blushing.  He's gotten compliments before.  Not as many since he lost his arm, but it was different with Tony.  

For a while, they talk.  Eventually, Tony does drag him to the tailor and several other places.  No one seems all that surprised to see Bucky, but Bucky isn’t sure if that’s because Tony somehow got the message out or they’re used to Tony having a lot of different body guards.  They hit up restaurants, different office buildings, clothing shops, jewelry shops, and end up at the courthouse where Tony requests the papers for filing for a bond.  

Bucky braces for a comment about a man with an obvious soulmate bond requesting those papers, but the clerk doesn’t blink, just hands Tony the papers he asks for.

Until they’re back at the mansion, Bucky is kind of jumpy.  He expects someone to notice, to say something.   But everyone acts normal, given the definition.  They talk to Tony, take pictures, ask for autographs, and ignore Bucky. 

Once they’re safely inside the mansion, Tony pulls Bucky in and kisses his cheek.  It wasn’t the first kiss Bucky was expecting from Tony but it was good. 


	4. Four is a Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two sets of real soulmates. One set of fake soulmates. It works better then anyone expects it to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Implied fourway sex, but not explicit. Might write an explicit sequal? Who knows. And a visual aid of the soulmarks

Because Bucky is technically supposed to be Tony's live in bodyguard for the week, he sleeps over with Tony.  Tony does tempt him into the bed, but no further then that.  And when Bucky wakes up the next day, he's glad Tony talking him into sharing the bed.  In his sleep, Tony clings.  And Bucky finds it adorable.  The other man is also avidly not a morning person, so Bucky extracts himself from octo-Tony and makes his way to the kitchen.  He only gets a little lost.  

Jarvis is already up and about.  He doesn't seem surprised to see Bucky and Bucky wonders if Jarvis lives here too.

"I assume you'll take Master Tony's food to his room?"  Jarvis asks.  Bucky doesn't want ot know how he knows, he just nods.  Jarvis makes enough eggs and toast for an army, loading it on a tray for Bucky.  There's also a thermos of coffee Jarvis insists is just for Tony.  Bucky is morbidly curious about how much caffeine Tony needs to function.  The two of them dig into the food, sitting on Tony's bed and messing up what Bucky expects are very expensive sheets.  And then Tony shifts.  Bucky can't say he was expecting that.  Even more surprising then the shift is what Tony shifts into.  

"Apparently we've met before."  Bucky jokes, petting the ruff of Tony's neck.  "You were the cat with Rhodey when he and Steve met."   Tony purrs and Bucky takes that as agreement.  Bucky expects a lazy day in and he's not disappointed.

Rhodey and Steve show up a little after lunch, which had been again prepared by Jarvis.  Bucky was leaning towards the man being some kind of ninja chef.  Which answers the question Bucky wasn't thinking about- where Rhodey was.  Steve looked better then Bucky had ever seen him before.  The bright blond poodle that Bucky knew was Steve was sleeping peacefully in Rhodey’s arms.  It’d been years since Bucky seen Steve shifted.  Apparently he’d felt comfortable and healthy enough to shift for Rhodey.  It was admittedly adorable to see Rhodey dote on the small, sleeping dog.  When Steve woke up from his nap, he stayed in his dog form, curled up on Rhodey’s lap. 

Then, amusingly, Tony decided Steve looked comfortable.  Tony's cat form ("It's a lynx,"  Rhodey informed him.  "European lynx, we're pretty sure.  Neither of his parents were shifters though, so his heritage is a bit clouded.")  chases Steve from Rhodey's lap and doesn't stop until after they're both worn out.  Then they shift back, still in a pile on the floor.  Both are naked but they don't seem to care.   Since they're alone in Tony's huge mansion, Bucky isn't worried about anyone seeing and making a big deal out of it.

If Bucky could shift, he would have joined them.  He didn't know what held Rhodey back (it certainly wasn't the same thing that held Bucky back, he'd seen Rhodey's wolf form not that long ago) but he was glad for it.  Mostly because they got talking, swapping stories about Steve and Tony.   They carefully skirted the topic of what Rhodey and Tony did, what Bucky had done yesterday morning.  

They retired, all to the same bed at Tony and Steve's insistence.  Bucky assumed they'd been talking while shifted and went along with it.  

When all was said and done, Bucky drifted to sleep with a wolf, a lynx, and a poodle curled up with him.  It wasn't what he'd expected when he met his soulmate, but it fit.  It felt right to have all four of them curled up together.  


End file.
